Mint Gelato with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 fresh sprigs of mint
• 100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

Preparation:

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the cream and milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
2. Transfer the cream mixture to a heatproof bowl and stir in the mint. Place the bowl in another bowl of ice water to cool the mixture quickly, stirring occasionally; discard the mint after 5 minutes. Don't steep the mint too long, or it will impart an herbaceous flavor; a quick steep while the cream cools is fine. Cover the mint cream and refrigerate for about 4 hours, or until completely chilled.
3. Freeze the mint cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm but still liquid.
5. Transfer the ice cream to a large bowl set over a bowl of ice. Working quickly, drizzle the melted chocolate over the gelato, stirring vigorously. The chocolate will immediately flake as it hits the cold ice cream. If you prefer larger chocolate chunks in your gelato, stir it in slowly with a wooden spoon. Serve immediately or transfer to a container and freeze for 3-4 hours, until firm.